Pain is associated with a myriad of medical conditions and affects millions of Americans. As reported by the American Pain Foundation, over 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain including 20% of individual aged 60 and over who are affected by joint (arthritis or other disorders) and back pain. Furthermore, nearly 25 millions Americans experience acute pain due to injuries or surgical procedures each year. The cost involved in the management of pain has been estimated at $100 billion each year. In addition to its economical burden, pain has a tremendous effect on the quality of life of affected individuals and is one of the most common causes of disability.
Accordingly, improved methods and compositions of treating acute and chronic pain are desired to alleviate these debilitating conditions.
Conditions affecting cardiovascular functions and blood flow have increased substantially in countries of central and eastern Europe and remains the major cause of premature death in Western populations. For example, atherosclerosis which involves formation of depots or plaque into arteries, caused almost 1 million deaths in 1992—twice as many as from cancer and 10 times as many as from accidents. Despite significant medical advances, coronary artery disease (which results from atherosclerosis and causes heart attacks) and atherosclerotic stroke are responsible for more deaths than all other causes combined.
Accordingly, there is an urgent need for improved methods and compositions for treating conditions affecting cardiovascular elements and blood flow.